Melvin E Hanson

Melvin Emil Hanson, age 88, passed away on November 26, 2015. The Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 21, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck with a luncheon to follow. Burial is at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 in Mandan. Melvin was born on September 8, 1927, in Washburn, North Dakota, to John Emil Hanson and Selma (Leidholm) Hanson. He was baptized and confirmed at Birka Lutheran Church in rural Washburn, attended Conklin Grade School, and graduated from Washburn High School in 1945. After graduation Melvin enlisted in the Navy and was stationed in China. When he returned from service, he went to refrigeration school in Minneapolis and furthered his education by taking a correspondence course at the Utilities Engineering Institute in Chicago. Melvin married Catherine Craven on June 16, 1953, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck. He was a loving and hardworking husband and father. Melvin worked for a brief time at Montana Dakota Utilities, a few years at Bismarck Refrigeration, and then Foremost Dairy which was sold to Cass Clay Creamery, where he was a refrigeration specialist and plant engineer until his retirement in 1992. In addition, Melvin owned his own small business, Mel’s Refrigeration. Melvin was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Elks, the Eagles, and the American Legion. He enjoyed bowling in a league, and pitching on the Cass Clay softball team, which was one of the first teams to play in the Sam McQuade Tournament. After retirement Melvin’s favorite activity was golf. He loved going on family vacations to the lake every summer, camping with special neighbors, taking bus trips with friends, joining family members on their vacations, and celebrating the 4th of July at Gary’s house at Lake Sakakawea. Melvin is survived by his wife of 62 years, Catherine; his daughters Deanna (Ron) Lindenfelser, Dunlap, IL, and Janine (Steve) Ess, Columbia Heights, MN; his sons Gary (Darlyne) Hanson, Bismarck, ND; Kevin (Kathy) Hanson, Jefferson City, MO, and Craig Hanson, Brooklyn Center, MN; his 7 grandchildren Eric, Amanda, Breann, Katie, Nick, Devin, Freya; his 3 great-grandchildren Hadley, Ava, Audrey; his sister Esther Shearer, Glendive, MT; his sister-in-laws Elizabeth (Lyle) Ennen, Menoken, and Arleen Carter, WY; his brother-in-laws George Reinke, VA; Lyle Schultz, Bismarck; Russell Heaton, Bismarck, and John Calvin (Jane) Craven, OR; and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters Alice, Adeline, Hazel, Mabel; his brother Verner; his favorite uncle Sanford; his son-in-law Steve; his sister-in-laws Lillian, Buryl, Lucile, Janice; his brother-in-laws Tim, Donald, Bernard, James, Gerald, Donavon, Ernest. The family would like to thank Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center for their tender care and kindness. Memorials may be given to The Banquet at Trinity Lutheran Church or the Bismarck Cancer Center Foundation.